Dublin woman dragged through garden and over railings by ex-partner, court hears

A Dublin woman secured a protection order after her ex-boyfriend dragged her by the hair through dog urine and shoved her head. A second woman obtained a barring order against her alcoholic husband.

Protection and barring orders granted at Dublin District Family Court

A woman has been granted a protection order after telling Dublin District Family Court that her former partner dragged her through a garden, forced her over railings, and shoved her in the head during a violent confrontation at a friend's home, the Irish Times reports.

The woman said her ex-boyfriend had a "big" temper issue and had destroyed five of her mobile phones during their relationship. The couple had been together for a number of years and had lived together before separating.

She told Judge John Brennan that her ex-partner had arrived at the house where she was staying, "very angry, looking for me to come down." When she went to him, he pulled her out of the door by her jacket.

"He was dragging me around the garden, over railings, back over the railings," she said. "I was trying to stay in the garden to be safe and he was trying to get me out of the garden and then he shoved me in the head. I have a mark on my eye from him shoving me at the side of the head."

When Brennan asked whether he had behaved this way before, she replied "once or twice." She also described a separate incident in which her ex-partner came home to find dog urine on the floor. "Because the pee wasn't cleaned, he actually dragged my hair through it," she said.

The judge asked whether the man had ever apologised. "No, he never apologises," she replied, adding that after arguments he would spit in her face.

Brennan granted the protection order on an ex parte basis — with only one side represented — prohibiting the man from using or threatening violence against her. The order also bars him from contacting her by phone or social media and from being near or watching her home. A full hearing, at which the man is expected to attend, was set for a later date.

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In a separate case heard the same day, a second woman secured an interim barring order against her husband, whom she described as a chronic alcoholic who had been drinking every day.

She told the court that her own health had suffered as a result of his behaviour, and that her son was attending Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The husband had repeatedly called her "a geebag" and her son "a scumbag."

She said he had recently told her son: "I'd love to f*** you down those stairs." Her son feels "really hurt" and "just can't take it any more," she said, adding that his mental health was "going downhill" and that he had been left "shaking."

Brennan granted the interim barring order on an ex parte basis, excluding the husband from the family home for eight days and from watching or being near it. The judge noted that the man's serious alcohol problems were causing significant harm to the woman and her family. A full hearing, at which the husband is expected to attend, was scheduled for a later date.

Source: Irish Times